PRO 12 Glasgow 12 Munster 23:MUNSTER ACHIEVED a record 12th successive win in Celtic rugby after defeating Glasgow Warriors at Firhill last night in the second round of the Pro 12 league in front of a crowd of 2,914.
Crucial scores either side of half-time, accurate goal kicking and distribution from man-of-the-match Ian Keatley and a solid defence paved the way for Munster’s win.
Munster’s experienced core paid their way by playing the kind of rugby that had Glasgow’s youngsters struggling to find an answer.
The visitors grabbed the first points of the game with a penalty by outhalf Keatley but Glasgow’s Duncan Weir quickly replied in kind.
After Niall Ronan was sent to the sin-bin, the Glasgow outhalf put his side into the lead with his second penalty goal.
Glasgow, too, were reduced to 14 men when flanker Chris Fusaro was shown the yellow card for collapsing a maul and Keatley kicked his second goal.
Keatley and Weir then recorded missed penalty attempts before Keatley put his side into the lead with a kick from inside the visitors’ half.
Then Danny Barnes set up an attacking situation with a superb line break and from a penalty Ronan forced his way over for a try under the posts converted with ease by Keatley before half-time to give Munster a 16-6 lead.
On the resumption Munster used their experience to engineer an effective rolling maul before releasing the ball to the backs.
Lafeimi Mafi’s angled run cut Glasgow’s defence to shreds, the centre finally laying on a try for winger Simon Zebo. Keatley added the conversion. Penalties from Weir gave Glasgow some encouragement but Munster ran out comfortable winners.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: S Hogg; F Aramburu, R Dewey, T Nathan, C Shaw; D Weir, H Pyrgos; R Grant, P MacArthur, M Cusack; T Ryder, N Campbell; R Harley, C Fusaro, R Wilson. Replacements: C Gregor and J Eddie for Pyrgos and Campbell (46 mins), E Kalman for Cusack (52 mins), P Horne for Dewey (56 mins), F Gilies and R Pitman for MacArthur and Wilson (71 mins), S Wight for Weitr (74 mins), G Reid for Grant (76 mins).
MUNSTER: J Murphy; D Howlett, D Barnes, L Mafi, S Zebo; I Keatley, P Stringer; W Du Preez, D Varley, J Hayes; B Holland, M O'Driscoll; P O'Mahoney, N Ronan, J Coughlan. Replacements: T O'Donnell and S Archer for Ronan and Hayes (59 mins), M horan for du Preez (61 mins), D Wiliams for Stringer (64 mins), D Fogarty for Varley (67 mins), T Glesson and D Foley for Zebo and O'Mahoney (73 mins), S Deasy for Keatley (74 mins).
Referee D Philips(Ireland) .
